Clyne, what do we think so far?

[norwaysaint]

He's without doubt a great attacking player. He gets things pushing forward down the right, he's fast, he can deliver some effective passes and I think he's more effective going forward than Puncheon, who also looks good, but his moves rarely deliver anything.

 

However, am I wrong (I might be, I often am), but haven't a very large proportion of unnecessarily conceded goals been his fault? He is SO easily beaten by his man, he gets on the wrong side of them he falls over or slips, he's out of position. I know full backs are supposed to attack rather than defend these days, but we spend a lot of time defending and his absence is only stretching our central defenders more.

 

Is there a case for playing Richardson with Clyne in front of him? I accept all insults for this being a silly suggestion and that I don't know what I'm talking about, I just think our two centre backs are being expected to do the job of a back four half the time and we can't be too surprised when they get easily overwhelmed.

[Aura]

Clyne is easily our best player in the back 4 no question about it.

 

so yes this is rather odd

[Thedelldays]

Play 3x cm in the middle to offer more protection to the whole back 4

 

But we don't. We go toe to toe with better teams and get massively exposed

 

Clyne is clearly a talent but is drowning at saints after being left to the cleaners every week

[Clapham Saint]

He's clearly a good player but he couldn't win a header to save his life.

 

even challenging for one would be a good start

[Raging Bull]

Clyne is easily our best player in the back 4 no question about it.

 

so yes this is rather odd

 

You mean, apart from being caught out of position far too often?!?

 

Bale's goal was a prime example of this. I mean come on, how can you not think to look at what the man you're marking is about to do, it's his job ffs!

Edited 29 October, 2012 by Raging Bull

[Nigel=God-Poyet=Sod]

There is no doubt that Clyne is a great, young, English talent, but I think that might well be why he is often given the benefit of doubt from most Saints fans who would rather blame, and in most cases rightly so, the centre backs and keeper.

 

I'm sure he'll improve, it's a learning curve for all of them.

[Chez]

I like him, but no doubt about it he has made mistakes, all players do, it's human nature, unfortunately a couple of his have led directly to goals. Hopefully in the games coming up the mistakes we make will go unpunished.

[Crazy Diamond]

Other than his inability to go 90 minutes without falling over, I'm impressed.

 

Seriously though, he really does slip over in every game. Someone buy him a pair of decent boots for God's sake.

[S-Clarke]

Decent talent, but prone to misjudgements and mistakes. That's the risk you take though, but in the long-term he'll be worth it. I like his versatility in that he could also play at LB, or probably even RW if required. I think he's easily the best player in our back 4, but it doesn't take much.

[skintsaint]

Few errors (remembering its his first season in the top flight and still pretty young) but all in all I like his attitude and work rate, also the fact he loves a good challenge. Got done last night as Bale just got the run on him, but it was highlighted last season when Lambert used this to our advantage so definately the part of his game he needs to work on.

 

Could do with finding a left back version of him!

[Under Weststand]

Yes Clyne is making mistakes, what the hell did people expect? He is as rightly pointed out young and iinexperienced at this level, and like the team on a massive learning curve. His biggest problem is coming into a team with a back four that is simply not good enough or experienced enough at this level. There is no one in that back four that is telling him what to do/show him what to do. He has the ability, the pace, and is a threat going forward.

The one thing lacking is his awareness against some GREAT players who have outwitted him at times. I have faith he will become a very good right back for us for years to come.

[eurosaint]

I thought that yesterday he handled Bale pretty well with the obvious exception of the goal (being fair to him though, he is about a foot smaller and was running back towards his own goal) !

He does tend to slip a lot and I'm always surprised when the pitch gets watered just before kick-off for every match !

[Saints foreva]

We highlighted him as Palace's weakness last season, seems teams are doing the same to us now considering how many goals we're shipping in from our right hand side.

 

He's a talent but not good enough for this level yet.

[Golden Balls]

Other than his inability to go 90 minutes without falling over, I'm impressed.

 

Seriously though, he really does slip over in every game. Someone buy him a pair of decent boots for God's sake.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. Yesterday I only noticed once but usually it's 2-3 times and always at a crucial moment.

[Whitey Grandad]

I agree. He did absolutely nothing to try to stop Bale getting his head on the ball. For all the good he did he might as well not have been there.

Edited 29 October, 2012 by Whitey Grandad

[rooney]

He is a good young player and will improve as he learns but has made mistakes (hands on head yesterday when ball watching for Bales goal) Agree with others that he does slip a lot. Why then, do we water the pitch so much especially on damp days?

[Saint_clark]

Exactly what I was thinking. Yesterday I only noticed once but usually it's 2-3 times and always at a crucial moment.

 

I have to say I didn't notice it at all - however, Puncheon did fall over once down at the Kingsland/Northam corner. I think you just mistook the two.

[pingwing]

Excellent player, if he keeps the sensible attitude he really should be Englands next rb.

 

Just need a saints web wip around for a new pair of studs for him, each cough up 50p only 80 of us can get him some reasonable studs.

 

Generally his pros out weigh his cons, so where he isn't the best in the air he is bar far the best of the back line at last min tackles. When the ball is on the floor more often than not he can close it down and win it back, which is amazing for a such a young player. In the air he is just let down by his hight and generally we have been playing a system that gets Morg or one of the other midfielders to try and assist to protect that weakness (by either being back there with him or closing down any balls that are heading that way in the first place). Just sometimes the team has left him exposed in quite difficult conditions.

 

Once everyone gets to a point where a 90 min game playing properly is manageable then he'll look a lot better and his weaknesses will be less exposed.

[Sour Mash]

If I'm entirely honest, he hasn't quite lived up to my expectations. Seems to switch off often when defending and unlike a lot of posters on here, I don't think he offers much going forward - his crossing inparticular has been poor.

[Leicestersaint]

Has considerable potential but was found wanting several times against Bale yesterday - gave Bale far too much space.

 

I think he is oru best defender though and would worry much mroe abotu Fox and the CBs.

[The9]

You mean, apart from being caught out of position far too often?!?

 

Bale's goal was a prime example of this. I mean come on, how can you not think to look at what the man you're marking is about to do, it's his job ffs!

 

Even if he'd been perfectly positioned and jumped with Bale, Bale would have outjumped him and may have scored nevertheless. That's kind of the point of crossing at the to the tall bloke up against the shortar5e fullback.

[Whitey Grandad]

Even if he'd been perfectly positioned and jumped with Bale, Bale would have outjumped him and may have scored nevertheless. That's kind of the point of crossing at the to the tall bloke up against the shortar5e fullback.

He didn't have to win the header, just put him off his timing. Any sort of challenge would have been better than nothing.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

As I said when we bought him, he's great going forward, but can't defend...

[Gambol2K9]

Play 3x cm in the middle to offer more protection to the whole back 4

 

But we don't. We go toe to toe with better teams and get massively exposed

 

Clyne is clearly a talent but is drowning at saints after being left to the cleaners every week

 

This is exactly what i've been saying, couldn't agree more!

[tajjuk]

He's our Micah Richards, good going forward, has good defensive attributes (can tackle/mark etc.) but is let down by poor decision making and in particular poor positioning. He'll get better though and I'm positive that he gets far less protection from Puncheon than Fox gets from Lallana.

[Golden Balls]

I have to say I didn't notice it at all - however, Puncheon did fall over once down at the Kingsland/Northam corner. I think you just mistook the two.

 

It was in that corner but it was definitely Clyne. Puncheon wasn't on the pitch at the time. It was when Bale had the ball and he cut inside